How to manage returns and withdrawals in e-commerce

The returns process in e-commerce has two layers: the rights the law grants to consumers, and how your store meets those rights in its day-to-day operations. The first is not up for negotiation. The second, when designed well, can turn returns from a cost item into a source of trust. In this article we first outline the general framework of the right of withdrawal, then walk through the operational steps you need to handle returns in an orderly way.

This article is for general information and is not legal advice. Regulations change from time to time; check the current text of the relevant law and regulation before applying anything, and consult a lawyer if needed.

Legal framework: which rules apply?

In Türkiye, online sales to consumers are governed mainly by two pieces of legislation: Consumer Protection Law No. 6502 and the Distance Contracts Regulation issued under that law. The regulation covers pre-contract information, the distance sales contract, the right of withdrawal and refund deadlines. The current texts are available on the official Legislation Information System (mevzuat.gov.tr).

There is an important distinction here: the right of withdrawal and the return of defective goods are not the same thing. With the right of withdrawal, the consumer backs out of the contract without giving a reason. With defective goods, the product is faulty and the consumer has separate statutory remedies (such as a refund, replacement, repair or price reduction). Recording the two processes separately in your system is necessary both for reporting and for applying the rules correctly.

General rules of the right of withdrawal

In broad terms, the regulation's core rules are as follows:

• For the sale of goods, the consumer has 14 days to withdraw without giving a reason and without paying a penalty. As a rule, for goods the period starts on the day the product is delivered to the consumer or to a person they designate.
• After the withdrawal notice, the seller must refund the full amount collected (including delivery costs) within the period set out in the regulation, using a method consistent with the original payment.
• The consumer, in turn, must send the product back to the seller within the period set out in the regulation.
• If the seller has named a carrier for returns and the consumer ships with that carrier, the return shipping cost cannot be charged to the consumer.
• The right of withdrawal and how to exercise it must be clearly disclosed to the consumer in the pre-contract information; if it is not, the withdrawal period may be extended.

For when the periods start, the exceptions and the latest amendments, rely on the current text of the regulation.

Exceptions to the right of withdrawal

The regulation does not grant the right of withdrawal in certain cases. Common examples include:

• Products prepared or personalized according to the consumer's wishes or personal needs (such as a jersey printed with a name, or a made-to-measure product)
• Products that perish quickly or may pass their expiry date
• Products whose packaging has been opened after delivery and which cannot be returned for health and hygiene reasons
• Software, digital content and similar products whose packaging has been opened

For an exception to apply, it must be clearly stated in the pre-contract information and on the product page. If you sell made-to-order products, it is good practice to show this information on the product configurator screen as well.

Operations: running returns in an orderly way

Complying with the regulation is the starting point; making returns run smoothly is an operational job. The flow we recommend:

1. Request. The customer creates a return request in a few clicks, either from their account or with their order number and email address, and picks the reason for return from a list.
2. Return code. A return code for the contracted carrier is generated automatically and sent to the customer. For the shipping side, see our shipping integration guide.
3. Receipt and inspection. When the product arrives at the warehouse, it is inspected and its condition is recorded in the system.
4. Refund. For card payments, the refund goes back to the card through the payment platform; for bank transfers, the customer's IBAN is collected.
5. Stock and accounting. Sellable items go back into stock, and the return invoice or expense voucher is posted to the ERP with the related documents.
6. Notification. The customer is informed at every step; nobody should ever have to ask "what happened to my return?"

Reading your returns data

A return is not just a product coming back; it is valuable feedback. Filling in the table below every month helps you spot problem products early:

How do we do it at Globya?

In our e-commerce projects, we set up the pre-contract information form, the distance sales contract and the return request screen to fit the store's product structure, and we make sure exceptions such as personalized products are displayed correctly on the product page. The legal content of the contract texts is approved by you or your lawyer. On the IMFLEXI platform, the return request, return code, card refund and restocking all run in a single flow. We complete the privacy notice and retention side of the personal data collected during returns as part of our KVKK compliance work (KVKK being Türkiye's Personal Data Protection Law), at no extra charge.

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